A CITIZEN'S OPINION

Recap of Lisbon Council's Special Town Meeting ---The one you probably won't be allowed to see

    Lisbon's 12/22/15 Special Council Meeting was difficult to watch.

 This meeting wasn't a compromise between the two governing groups in Lisbon it was more like the School Committee blackmailing the Council into giving them everything they wanted or face another election that would cost Lisbon taxpayers another $3,000 dollars.

The audience (mostly the Schools "Special Interest Group) seemed to revel in a false sense of power and was heard making statements like

     "We got rid of the A_ _ _ _ _ _ this year and we will get rid of the rest of them next election."  and

      "Blackmail oh well" as if it didn't matter that the School Committee was breaking their laws and blackmailing Lisbon taxpayers.

IF the townspeople are ever allowed to view the recording of this fiasco they will see the Councilors almost begging Ms. Austin to tell them what they can do to pacify the School Committee.  At one point the Council Chair got so frustrated with  Ms. Austin's lack of compromise that he actually allowed her to make the Council's resolution.

The School Committee was so full of a sense of  entitlement that they brazenly broke one of the main laws governing their conduct.

I personally heard one of the School Committee Members stating to a gentleman in the audience that their conduct was Illegal, but that didn't stop her from going back into another illegal private caucus with her fellow Committee members.

The School Committee's only desire was to suck more and more money out of the taxpayers of Lisbon without any compassion for the elderly and less fortunate in Lisbon.

The meeting ended with the Town agreeing  to pay for a large portion of the Schools SRO officers salary.  The town doesn't have the money to do this but unlike the School they are willing to do the best they can for the good of the Town.

Some at this meeting said it didn't matter if the School broke the law as long as they got the results they wanted.  They felt  the end justified the means.  I disagree with this philosophy. I feel laws should apply to all equally. The law the School Committee broke is there for a reason and should be obeyed.

At least one good thing will come from this infraction of our laws. We will find out which of our School Committee Members has the integrity to do the right thing and RESIGN for the  good of Lisbon. 

Sadly
Joe Hill